NIFS — New Industrialisation Funding Scheme
ITC funding for setting up a brand-new smart production line in Hong Kong (formerly the 'Re-industrialisation Funding Scheme', a core project under the New Industrialisation Support Scheme, NISS): the government matches at 1:2, with a per-project cap of the lower of one-third of approved expenditure or HK$15M, and a company may run up to 3 projects at once, capped at HK$45M in total. The bar is lower than NIAS, but you still need a genuine Hong Kong smart line (with IoT / AI-ML / automation / robotics / sensors and similar elements), and a funded line cannot be relocated out of Hong Kong for several years. Rolling intake year-round.
You make a physical smart-manufactured product and want to set up a brand-new smart production line in Hong Kong (with IoT / AI-ML / automation / robotics / sensors / advanced data analytics elements). Even smaller manufacturers can use this — the government matches at 1:2 up to HK$15M per project.
Pure SaaS / platform start-ups going global do not fit (no physical production line) — look instead at ITC's ESS enterprise R&D, TSSSU, HKSTP and Cyberport. If your scale is larger (own investment ≥HK$100M), look at NIAS.
- Deadline / window
- No deadline; applications accepted on a rolling basis year-round
- For whom
- Companies registered in Hong Kong under the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622); must set up a brand-new smart production line in Hong Kong (which must include smart-production elements such as IoT / AI-ML / automation / robotics / sensors / advanced data analytics); a funded line (of ≥HK$5M) cannot be relocated out of Hong Kong for 5 years (3 years if <HK$5M)
- Application form, smart-production-line proposal, expenditure budget and proof of company registration, submitted via the ITC Fund electronic submission system
How it differs from NIAS
Both are new-industrialisation schemes matching at 1:2; they differ in scale. NIAS is the flagship tier — up to HK$200M per company with ≥HK$100M of own investment required. NIFS caps at HK$15M per project and HK$45M per company in total, with a far lower bar that smaller manufacturers can reach. If the smart line you want to build sits in the single-digit-millions to tens-of-millions range, NIFS is usually the right tier.
How the money is matched
The government funds at 1:2 — for every HK$2 you invest, the government adds HK$1; the government's share per project is capped at the lower of one-third of approved expenditure or HK$15M. A single company may run up to 3 projects at once, with the government's total share capped at HK$45M. Your 2 parts must land first, and the government funds follow in tranches by project progress.
- 1
Confirm the line you'll build is 'smart'
The proposal must include IoT / AI-ML / automation / robotics / sensors / advanced-data-analytics elements, and be a brand-new line set up in Hong Kong.
Pitfall: Dressing up an ordinary line as 'smart' — without genuine smart-production elements it will be rejected.
- 2
Prepare the expenditure budget and project proposal
Break down approved expenditure, work out the government cap (one-third or HK$15M, whichever is lower), and plan for the stay-in-HK commitment.
Pitfall: Ignoring the 'one-third' cap and assuming you can get the full HK$15M.
- 3
Submit via the ITC Fund electronic system
Rolling intake with no fixed deadline; submit at itcfas.itf.gov.hk. You may apply for up to 3 projects at once.
Pitfall: Cramming in 3 projects at once without prioritising — assessment slows all of them down.
- 4
Approved → build the line → draw matching funds at milestones
Build the brand-new smart line; government funds arrive in tranches by progress; you must honour the 3–5-year stay-in-HK commitment.
Pitfall: Wanting to relocate the line out of Hong Kong after approval — breaching the stay-in-HK term triggers clawback.
How strictly does assessment apply the 'smart-production element' test, and what kind of line gets judged not smart enough?· First-hand insight in the works
Pending a first-hand interview with an approved manufacturer.
Against the HK$15M cap, how do the real costs of building a line in Hong Kong (premises, hiring, equipment) actually stack up?· First-hand insight in the works
Pending a first-hand interview.
How constraining is the 3–5-year stay-in-HK commitment when you need to adjust the supply chain flexibly?· First-hand insight in the works
Pending a first-hand interview.
- 01Have a physical smart-manufacturing line plan (with smart elements) → start with the guide and forms at itcfas.itf.gov.hk.
- 02Larger scale (own investment ≥HK$100M, total cost ≥HK$150M) → look at the New Industry Acceleration Scheme (NIAS), capped at HK$200M per company.
- 03Pure software / platform → look instead at ITC's ESS enterprise R&D, TSSSU, HKSTP and Cyberport.
The New Industrialisation Support Scheme (NISS) also covers two sibling projects — the New Industrialisation and Technology Training Programme (NITTP, tech training) and Manufacturing Plus (a line-upgrade pilot) — which complement NIFS. Company age / turnover / employees are not scheme thresholds and are therefore not listed. Amounts, ratios and stay-in-HK terms follow ITC's latest official figures.